Paperwork
by kaibasgirlx
Summary: Masami, of a sort. Late night conversations don't always end in happy heart to hearts.


**Paperwork**

It was the end of another long day, as Mako walked down the block towards the Sato estate. In a few days, he, along with the heiress, would be flying to the Southern Water Tribe. Korra had left a few weeks earlier, along with Bolin. They had gone ahead to help with preparations for the festival, as the remaining two members of Team Avatar still had their hands full with work. Being a cop meant that he had to wait for departmental approval to take a few days off, and while he missed his girlfriend and brother dearly, a job was a job. And with the aftermath of Amon's rebellion to deal with, vacation days were the last thing on any law enforcer's mind.

Before long, he reached the Sato estate, gaining clearance from the guard at the entrance. Having moved in with his brother over half a year ago for a few weeks, Mako still remembered most of the layout of the manor, and also where he would likely find the young heiress: in her father's, or more precisely, what was once her father's office.

He knocked on the door, a moment passing before he heard the strained voice telling him to come in. The young entrepreneur, he knew, was hard at work these days, trying to salvage whatever she could of her father's company. After a particularly grueling day at work, Mako figured it was high time he paid her a visit, having not seen her in a long while. Besides, she could probably use a break.

"Hey Asami," Mako pushed open the door, entering the room. The dark-haired girl was busily writing out a document. Papers seemed to fill every square-inch of her desk, some in piles, others haphazardly strewn about. She barely nodded her head in greeting, not looking up.

"Uh...I stopped by the bakery and picked up some muffins, thought maybe you could use a snack," he held out the white paper bag uncertainly, showing it to her.

"Thanks, you could put it there," Asami clipped, head still bent over as she gestured vaguely with her pen to a corner of the desk. "Just leave it on top of the pile."

Mako let out a sigh, wondering if that was her way of dismissing him, or if he should try and make conversation. True, their relationship had been a little strained for a while, after they had broken up, but he liked to think that they were past that. After all, she had taught him how to ride a motorcycle, and had been helpful and encouraging in those first few weeks on the job, so why would she take to ignoring him now?

"So...uh...how's everything been going lately...with the business?" He began awkwardly.

"It's fine. "

Mako glanced at her desk, picking up a letter with the Earth Kingdom seal at the head of it. His eyebrows furrowed as he scanned through the lines.

"They're rejecting your shipment of airplanes because of inferior quality? That's ridiculous!"

Asami froze, eyes swiveling to look up at the Firebender. Just as quickly she stood, snatching the document out of his hands.

"That's none of your business!"

"But Asami—"

"You have no right coming in here and looking through confidential information!"

"I'm sorry; I was just trying to help—"

"Future Industries is none of your concern, Mako!"

"Yeah, but you _are_ one of my concerns!" He shot back. He finally got a closer look at her face, noting the tension in her shoulders, the worry in her eyes. The stress of taking over her father's empire seemed to finally be taking its toll. "I mean, look at you! Have you even eaten anything in the last few days?"

"I can take care of myself, Mako. I think you should worry about your own business, instead of meddling in mine!"

The Firebender stared at her, completely speechless as he tried to comprehend what was happening. The two of them never spoke this way to each other, barring their confrontation in the kitchen on Air Temple Island six months prior. What had happened to the normally sweet-tempered heiress?

"Look, Asami, you must be under a lot of pressure. Maybe you should take a break, you know, relax a little, have something to eat."

"I don't remember asking you for your advice!" Asami snapped, as she sat back down, picking up her pen. "Now, if you don't mind, I have a proposal to write, and I'd appreciate it if you'd leave."

Mako narrowed his eyes. He walked forward, placing both palms on the desk and leaning in. Asami looked up, glaring that he was still there.

"I thought I told you—"

"I know what you told me," Mako cut her off. "You're still angry, aren't you?"

Asami raised a pencil-thin brow. "Excuse me?"

"You're…you're still mad about what happened between us. You never really forgave me, did you?"

Asami shook her head, letting out a sigh, before looking up at him. "Listen Mako, things are crazy right now. Can we wait until after everything settles down to _talk about our relationship_?"

Mako's eyes went wide, reeling backwards as though she had just sucker-punched him in the gut. To hear the very words he'd spoken to her only six months prior on Air Temple Island spat back at him…it was as if she'd just slapped him in the face.

"Can't take your own advice, can you, Mako?" Asami's voice was venom, shrewd eyes narrowed.

"I-You-" he searched for words to throw back at her, something, _anything_, but his mind came up blank. The heiress went back to her writing.

"I trust you can see yourself out."

Mako clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, as his mind screamed at him to _say something_, _darnit!_

"I said I'm sorry, okay? !"

There was a dead silence as his shout reverberated in the air between them. Asami set her pen down, leaning back in her seat. She looked on apathetically at him, at his angry expression, her own jade eyes cold and hard.

"My father also said he was 'sorry', Mako, and we both know how much his apology was worth."

It was as though she had doused him in ice water, the hardness in her eyes squeezing him like a vice.

"You know what really gets me angry though?" the young heiress stepped slowly around the desk, heels clicking with every move, coming to a stop in front of him. "That the two people I trusted most in my life _both_ turned out to be nothing more than lying, cheating scoundrels!"

"I didn't lie to you!" Mako burst out, finally finding his voice.

"You betrayed me, that's even worst!" Asami shouted back. She turned away from him, walking over to the window and gazing out at the city lights in the distance.

Mako let out a sigh, burying his face in his hands for a moment, before looking over at her turned back.

"I'm sorry, okay? Look, I was confused. I liked you Asami, I really did, but I also liked Korra. She confessed to me in the locker rooms after one of the matches, and after that, she kissed me. I know I should've told you, but I guess I was too… afraid."

There was silence for a moment, before Asami looked at him from the corner of her eye. "What were you afraid of?"

"I…" Mako rubbed the back of his head, the heat of shame rising in his neck. "I was afraid you would leave me." He confessed, casting his eyes downwards. Asami regarded him coldly.

"You were afraid of being dumped by a girl, when you honestly deserved it."

Mako's head snapped up. "_What_? No! That wasn't it at all!"

Asami scoffed, not believing him for a moment.

"Look, it's complicated, okay?"

"Of course it's complicated! Every time you have to own up for your actions, it's 'complicated', Mako!"

"That isn't fair! You don't know—"

"Don't know _what_?" She paused for a moment, as a thought occurred to her, and her eyes widened. "You liked it. You liked kissing her, didn't you?"

"What?"

"But you didn't tell me," Asami continued, narrowing her eyes. "You didn't tell me because you were afraid that I would break up with you, and then you wouldn't have anyone to sponsor your team. You _used_ me!"

"No! I swear Asami, that's not the reason—"

"Get out."

Mako froze.

"Didn't you hear me?" Asami's voice was laced with cold fury. "I said get out! Get the hell out of my office, Mako!"

Still, the Firebender didn't a move a muscle. He felt paralyzed; as though someone had cemented his feet to the ground, and he couldn't so much as lift up a foot.

Seeing that he wasn't leaving, Asami walked over to the other side of her desk, picking up the phone.

"If you don't leave now, I'll call security, and believe me; even Chief Bei Fong won't be able to get you out of a jail cell before forty-eight hours!"

Slowly, Mako shook his head, squaring his shoulders. He wasn't leaving.

Asami narrowed her eyes. He didn't want to leave? Fine then, let him have it his way. She dialed.

"Hello, security?"

The line went dead. The heiress glanced up to see Mako pressing down on the base. She glared at him.

"Asami, please, just hear me out!" He pleaded. "I swear I wasn't using you!"

"You weren't using me?" Asami hissed. "Because that's exactly what it looks like from my end of things."

"Asami, I _loved_ you! From the moment I saw you, I couldn't take my eyes off you!"

"And what happened, Mako? !" The heiress shouted angrily, clenching her fists. "You just _fell out of love_ with me?! Or you just _fell in love_ with Korra more?! Or, wait, let me guess," the dark-haired girl gave an uncharacteristic sneer. "You just didn't realize your _feelings_ for her until she went missing, isn't that right?"

"No! You don't understand, Asami!" Mako yelled in frustration. "Korra needed me more!"

"_**I **_needed you more, Mako!" Asami screamed back. "More than anyone else! Korra had you, and Bolin, and everyone else to take care of her! And what did I have? A father that betrayed everything I stood for, and a boyfriend who only wanted me for my money, just like everyone else!"

There was a ringing silence, as Mako saw, for the first time, the pain and anguish the young heiress must have no doubt gone through while he was busy lavishing attention on the Avatar. The unshed tears glittering in her eyes caused something to twist inside him, even more so when she turned away from him, letting the receiver fall with a clatter from her hand.

Mako didn't know what to say, as he watched her fold her arms, holding herself back from actually letting the tears fall. He felt as though someone had stabbed him with a knife, and was now twisting it in deeper for good measure.

"Asami…I'm so sorry. I didn't realize how much my actions have hurt you."

"Of course you didn't."

The remark was a bitter one, and Mako felt the knife grind in more deeply. He looked down in shame, the silence between them growing uncomfortable, broken only by the monotonous sound of the dial tone. Finally, he looked up once more, opening his mouth to speak, hesitating only slightly at what he would say.

"I know there's nothing I can say or do that will make up for what happened between us, Asami, but I want you to know, I really do care about you. I think…I think you're pretty amazing, to be honest. Going against your father, helping us take down Amon despite our relationship problems…you had every reason to turn against us, and yet you didn't. That took real conviction, and I really admire you for that."

He spoke with such sincerity, that despite how angry she was at him, his words still managed to warm her heart, causing her rage to dissipate into the sadness of what once was. She stared down at the floor hollowly, wanting nothing more than to turn around and run into his embrace, to have him hold her and run his fingers through her hair like he used to when they were still together. But that chapter in their lives was over. Mako had chosen Korra, and he had moved on with her. And she? Had she moved on at all?

"I'm still in love with you, Mako," she said quietly, still not turning around to look at him. "My feelings aren't like a switch that I can just turn on and off."

"I know," he said quietly, laying a hand on her shoulder. She did not reject it, instead allowing him to turn her around to face him. "Asami," he said quietly, his eyes softening with emotion.

The closeness of their proximity was too much for the heiress, as a tear escaped, followed by another. She closed her eyes in an attempt to stem the flow, trying desperately to compose herself. They opened in surprise, however, when she felt two warm hands holding either side of her face, calloused fingers wiping away the tears.

Asami felt her breath catch in her throat, and almost in a trance she watched as Mako's face came closer to hers. She pushed her eyelids shut, almost unable to take the tension any longer, but just as his lips were centimeters away from her own, her palm shot out, catching him in the chest, and causing him to halt.

Mako opened his eyes, confusion and a hint of irritation in their amber depths. She turned away from his embrace, leaving his hands to hold onto thin air.

"Asami…"

"I'm not you, Mako," she said quietly, folding her arms once more, hair falling forward to hide her face. "I won't let Korra get hurt, the way you hurt me. I won't let you cheat on her, especially not with me."

Mako gaped at her, completely stunned, as though she had just taken an equalist glove and shocked him. He watched, stupefied, as she walked over to the entrance.

"I think you should go now." She held the door open for him, head bent down, refusing to look at him.

Willing his feet into motion, Mako adjusted his scarf temperamentally, as he made his way towards the exit. On his way out, he stopped, turning to look back at the Sato girl who was facing away from him.

"Our conversation isn't finished yet," he affirmed, before taking his leave.

"Yes, it is," Asami whispered, after he had left. But as she closed the door to her office, she knew that he was right. Their conversation from tonight was far from over.

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_um, wow, this totally did not turn out the way I expected it to. Originally this was supposed to be a short oneshot of Mako realizing he was actually still in love with Asami and them kind of doing the 'kiss and makeup' stuff, but stupid Mako wasn't cooperating._

_tbc? I don't know. I'll let you guys decide. If I do continue it, it'll be separate from this one._

_Well, let me know what you guys want to see, and what you thought of this one. I'm torn between liking how it came out, and feeling like it's just a huge train wreck._

_Disclaimer: I do not own the Legend of Korra._

_Téa_


End file.
